Paper taping drywall requires finesse that can be learned as you work.
Finishing your walls with paper tape and joint compound is a necessary step before painting or wallpapering your room. The tape covers, seals and hides the seams and joints between sheets of freshly hung drywall. By following these simple steps, the three types of joints can be uniformly smoothed and joined until they blend seamlessly together. Best results can be obtained by working quickly and carefully, and by closely observing your work for imperfections.
Instructions
1. Stir 2 to 3 oz. of water into the mud with a mixing paddle powered with an electric drill or screw gun until the mud is creamy but not runny. Mixing is best done in a bucket or similar sturdy container. This pops the air bubbles and gives a smoother finish. Mix for less than a minute, or more bubbles will form, causing cratering as the mud dries on the walls. Then fill your mud pan all the way up, to save time refilling it.
2. Load up the middle of the 6-inch knife with mud and apply along the length of the butt joint, where the short ends of the drywall come together. Stick the tape onto the joint, then apply a thin layer of mud over the tape with a 12-inch knife. Put enough pressure on the knife blade so it bends and feathers out the mud without leaving a ridge. Repeat until the joint is smooth and the tape is evenly covered.
3. Fill in the recessed area of the tapered joints, where the long edges of the drywall meet, with mud applied from the center of the 12-inch knife. Keep the tape straight as you apply it over the joint or it will wrinkle. Cut the tape off evenly with your utility knife 2 inches from the corner joint, so you don't overlap with the corner tape. With the 12-inch knife, cover the tape with more compound, starting in the center of the joint and working your way out to the ends, smoothly feathering the compound.
4. Apply mud to both sides of the corner joint with the 6-inch knife. Crease the tape down the center line and push it into the corner, with half of the tape covering each side. Finish one side completely before moving on to the the other side of the corner. As mud is applied to each side, take care to avoid scraping mud off the other side with the corner of the knife. It will take several passes to smoothly finish the corners. Evenly squeeze the mud out from under the tape, avoiding bumpy areas. Make sure there is no bare tape showing.
5. Let the first coat of compound dry completely before applying the second coat. Dry compound is bright white, while wet areas are darker. Scrape off all high ridges and mud splatters. Fill in any depressions and low spots. Put on your second and third coat in the same order as the first. Finish one side of the corner joints and let it dry before finishing the other side. Feather the mud out further with each coat until it blends evenly onto the drywall. This will cut down on your sanding time.
6. Inspect your work for any areas that may need touching up, once the final coat is fully dry. Hold the sanding block level and sand all the joints until smooth. Don't over-sand, or you will expose and damage the tape. If it's your first taping job, expect to do a lot of sanding. You're now ready to paint your walls.
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